Thu Dec 26 12:47:41 UTC 2024: ## China Approves Construction of World’s Largest Dam on Brahmaputra River, Raising Concerns in India and Bangladesh
**Beijing, December 26, 2024** – China has approved the construction of a massive hydropower dam on the Brahmaputra River (known as the Yarlung Zangbo in Tibet), a project estimated to cost $137 billion, making it the world’s largest infrastructure project. The announcement, made via the state-run Xinhua news agency on December 25th, has sparked concerns in downstream riparian states, India and Bangladesh.
The dam, to be built in a Himalayan gorge where the Brahmaputra makes a U-turn into Arunachal Pradesh, dwarfs even China’s Three Gorges Dam in scale. The project, included in China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), aims to harness the river’s immense hydropower potential, potentially generating over 300 billion kWh of electricity annually. This would involve constructing four to six 20km-long tunnels to divert a significant portion of the river’s flow.
India’s concerns center on China’s increased control over water flow and the potential for using the dam’s capacity to flood border areas in times of conflict. While China assures the project prioritizes ecological protection and is safe, the dam’s location along a seismically active tectonic plate boundary raises engineering challenges.
Despite concerns, data sharing on trans-border rivers, including the Brahmaputra and Sutlej, was discussed positively during recent talks between Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The two countries established the Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) in 2006 for such discussions.
China’s official statements highlight the project’s economic benefits, including job creation, infrastructure improvements, and contributions to the country’s carbon neutrality goals. However, the sheer scale and strategic location of the dam continue to fuel apprehension among India and its neighbors.
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